SHEEPMEAT COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA ANNUAL MUSTER 2014 41
The last 12 months have seen the VFF Livestock group meet
with over 1,500 producers face-to-face on key policy issues
such as Animal Welfare legislation, Johne’s Disease and NLIS
for sheep and goats.
Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF)
Aside from meetings, other ways the
Livestock group is reaching producers is
through regional dinners, online surveys
and the establishment of advisory groups
including a Sheepmeat Advisory Group.
The purpose of this group is to include
more Victorian sheepmeat producers in
the consideration of important issues
specific to the sheepmeat industry, which
is then conveyed to the Livestock Council
when they are considering policy.
One of the recent achievements of the VFF
Livestock Group has been the introduction
of the Sheep Health Statement (SHS)
booklet. The SHS was devised in relation
to the National Ovine Johne’s Disease
management plan, which asks producers
to manage their own risk.
The SHS booklet makes it easier for
producers to use and retain records for
their own business. The new books are
similar to the National Vendor Declaration
books containing a carbon copy sheet
which is handy for record keeping.
The SHS is used as a risk management
tool to help make sound trading decisions.
It can offer a level of assurance that the
sheep producers are purchasing are
relevant to thier needs.
When selling stock, providing a SHS will
help producers to make appropriate
purchasing decisions, and help promote
producer practices and increase
competition.
The SHS is not compulsory for
trade within Victoria, but is strongly
recommended when trading interstate.
The books are available for inter-state
sale for the price of $15 incl. GST and
postage.
The VFF Livestock Group also had a win
with the recent announcement in June
2014 of the completion of the North
West Victorian Sheep Biosecurity Area
(NWVSBA) agreement that mean sheep
from that area can again be sold into SA
without the producer having to supply a
negative OJD test, which is costly and time
consuming to obtain.
From 1 July 2014 producers selling sheep
through the Swan Hill, Yelta, Wycheproof
and Ouyen yards can expect the return
of South Australian competition. This
process was driven by a number of VFF
Members, led by the Chair of the Group,
Kevin Crook.
The group has run a number of highly
successful livestock policy dinners,
with the first being held in Hamilton
in September 2013. The sold out night
included presentations on media and
social media in agriculture by Kate Dowler
from The Weekly Times, and Tom Whitty,
VFF Media Manager and from AgChatOz
co-founder, as well as an interactive Q &
A session.
Since then, two more policy dinners have
been in held in Warragul and Ballarat
in 2014. The Warragul dinner attracted
90 producers to hear presentations on
social media and red meat processing.
There are further dinner plans in 2014 for
Rutherglen, Wycheproof and Bairnsdale.
VFF Livestock Group remains committed
to engaging with our sheepmeat
producers and the wider farming
community and these sessions provide an
opportunity for people to let us know what
issues are affecting their business.
The Livestock group also continue to be
proactive in providing an extension service
to all Victorian sheepmeat producers.
Focus has been placed on delivering best
practice animal health and biosecurity
messages, with an emphasis on endemic
diseases that effect on-farm production.
The VFF Livestock Group looks forward
to continuing to engage with sheepmeat
producers and industry alike into 2015
to ensure they are coming up with best
and most informed policy and extension
services for the benefit of the state.
Alina Tooley
Livestock Commodity Manager